Cisco NFVI installation is divided into two processes:

• Preparation—Preparing the Cisco NFVI pod hardware and configuring all supporting applications including the Cisco Integrated Management Controller (IMC) and the Cisco UCS Manager.

• Installation—Installing the Cisco NFVI component applications includes: Cisco Virtual Infrastructure Manager (VIM), Cisco Insight (Unified Management) and Cisco Virtual Topology System (VTS) including Virtual Topology Forwarder (VTF). The applications that you install depend on your Cisco NFVI package.

The sequence in which you perform Cisco NFVI installations depends on the component applications that you install. For example, if you are installing Cisco VTS, install VTC, before you install Cisco VIM or Cisco Unified Management (UM). If you are installing Cisco VIM UM, begin the Cisco VIM Management Node installation, then install Insight and complete the Cisco VIM installation through Cisco VIM UM. If you have Cisco VIM without other Cisco NFVI applications, complete the Cisco VIM installation procedure.

In addition to the sequence of Cisco NFVI component installations, two other considerations are important:

• Internet Access—Internet access is required to download the Cisco NFVI installation files from the Cisco NFVI download site (cvim-registry.com). If your management node has an Internet access, you can download the files directly to it. If you do not have Internet access, you need an alternate server with an internet access so that you can download the installation files to a USB stick. You can now use the USB stick to copy the installation files to the management node.

• Cisco NFVI Configurations—Before you begin the Cisco NFVI installation, take time to familiarize yourself with the parameters you provision either during or immediately following Cisco NFVI installation. Configurations are provided in the setup_data.yaml file. If you are installing Cisco VIM and not Cisco VIM Insight, you enter the configurations directly into the setup_data.yaml file with a yaml editor. Examples of setup_data file (for C and B-series) are available at the openstack-configs directory in the target install folder in the management node. To see the Cisco NFVI data and OpenStack parameters run Setting Up the Cisco VIM Data Configurations. If you are installing Cisco VIM Insight, run Cisco NFVI using Insight UI wizard. For information, see Installing Cisco VIM Unified Management.

Installation procedures in this guide are designed for one of several Cisco NFVI license options:

• Cisco NFVI Basic—Includes Cisco Virtual Infrastructure Manager (VIM). Cisco VIM is an OpenStack Newton release software solution with more features and usability enhancements that are tested for functionality, scale, and performance.

• Cisco NFVI Standard—Includes Cisco VIM and Cisco VIM Insight. Cisco VIM Insight deploys, provisions, and manages Cisco NFVI on Cisco UCS servers.

• Cisco NFVI with third-party monitoring - Includes Cisco VIM with or without Cisco VIM Insight that are based on the preceding choice with monitoring of the pod through Zenoss.

• Optional Cisco NFVI Applications—Cisco Virtual Topology System(VTS) is an optional application that can be installed with Cisco VIM by itself and with Cisco VIM Insight. Cisco VTS is a standards-based, open software-overlay management and provisioning system. It automates the data center network fabric provisioning, for virtual and physical infrastructure.

The following table lists the procedures for each option. If you have purchased Cisco VIM, you have to perform extra manual installation procedures. If you purchased Cisco VIM and UM, you have to perform many of the Cisco VIM manual setup and configuration procedures though the Unified management system also called VIM UM. Cloud that is installed through Cisco VIM from CLI, can be managed through Cisco VIM UM later in the lifecycle. However, once the VIM UM starts managing a cloud, we recommend you to continue using it to manage the cloud later.

The following table helps you to understand the installation sequence.